Thoughts and Perspectives From the Mind of a Common Girl
“Permanently closing a door often seems a bit drastic. But on the other hand, permanently leaving a door open allows the opportunity for anything to get in.”
~M
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/dark-door-door-handle-light-open-1852985/
This past year was not the best year for many reasons, and I think many of you can probably relate. So this year, I decided to make some small changes that I thought might help my overall physical and mental health. Last month I wrote about the goals that I aimed to achieve, and you can read about those goals here. And this month, I just wanted to give a quick update on how things have been going.
Here are the goals I was originally aiming for and the results of my efforts:
1.) Drink one gallon of water daily, which equals four water bottles.
Drinking one gallon of water a day proved to be fairly easy, and I didn’t miss a single day. There were a few times when I’d forgotten and ended up having to drink about half a gallon right before bedtime. When that happened, it made for a very sleep deprived night as I found myself getting up to pee every five minutes. Lol… Luckily I learned my lesson and adjusted my water drinking schedule so that I could finish all of my water earlier in the day.
2.) Lose 5 lbs. a month until I’m at my goal weight, which is 125 lbs.
I decided that weighing myself every day or every week was probably not a smart idea. From past experiences, I’ve always found the results of frequently weighing myself to be defeating at best, and so I decided to only weigh myself once a month. This morning, I weighed myself for the first time, and I am pleased to say that I was able to lose four pounds this month. It’s not as much as I was hoping for, but it’s at least a start.
3.) Eat oatmeal every day to help lower my cholesterol and eat Cheerios as my snack, which is healthier than chips.
I started the month eating Cheerios as my snack but ended the month caving into my cravings for other snacks. I think once I started seeing what seemed like good results; I gave myself a little more freedom to eat more of what I shouldn’t. I did alright with eating oatmeal on the days that I ate breakfast, but when I wasn’t hungry for breakfast, I didn’t eat oatmeal at all. I still don’t know if eating oatmeal has affected my cholesterol levels or not, and that’s probably something I won’t find out until I have repeat blood work done at the end of the year. I plan to stick with this goal, but I also want to be more diligent in my efforts.
4.) Finish reading one book every month.
I surprised myself and actually finished a book this month. I started by rereading “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling. Although I didn’t find the book to be as exciting as the first time I read it, I still enjoyed it, and I realized just how different the book is from the movie. I decided this month to take a break from the HP series and read the book “Home: A Memoir of My Early Years” by Julie Andrews.
5.) Walk at least 10,000 steps every day.
I was surprised to find that I averaged 12,000 steps per day. I’m going to continue with my goal of 10,000 steps a day, but aim for more if I can.
6.) Do a seven-minute workout every day.
I used the “7” App to achieve my seven-minute daily workout, and it was quite a challenge to keep up with it because I loathe any kind of rigorous exercise. But I am happy to announce that I actually stuck with it all month and only missed one day. I still don’t know how I missed that one day. It just completely slipped my mind, and I woke up the next morning wondering how I’d forgotten to do it. I plan to continue my workouts because they don’t take a lot of time, and they seem beneficial.
7.) Journal at the end of each day and keep a daily planner.
This was one goal that I didn’t stick with. I think I made it three days in when I found myself wondering what I could even write about. I’m generally stuck inside without much to talk about, and so it seemed repetitive to write about the same things every day. And the daily planner never got started because I decided not to take college classes this semester. I’ve decided, instead of journaling or keeping a daily planner for the rest of the year, that I’ll write down one thing that made me happy each day. I want to start looking for the things that bring joy to my life so that I can look back on the year and see all the things that made my life so special. Too often, I find myself focusing on the negative aspects and I know that doesn’t help me.
8.) Control portion sizes of food.
I think I’ve been doing reasonably well controlling the portion sizes of my food. I’ve been mostly measuring out my serving sizes, and I’m now better able to gauge how much I should be putting on my plate, even when I don’t measure out my food.
9.) Avoid adding butter, salt, and creamer to foods.
I’ve been good about avoiding all of these foods, but sometimes butter is still getting the best of me because I love it on bread. I also want to start avoiding mayonnaise for the rest of the year and anything that contains large amounts of fat calories.
10.) Avoid soda and alcohol.
I avoided all temptation to have soda or alcohol this month, and I plan to continue this goal for as long as possible. I just feel so much better when I eliminate these two types of drinks from my diet, and so I know it’s important that I maintain my efforts to avoid them.
I plan to continue giving monthly updates on my progress because I think it helps me stay accountable. I hope all of you who have decided to make some changes this year have been successful. We just have to keep trying our best! Cheers to another month of success! ~M xo
Welcome to another month of writing prompts. I hope everyone is doing well. I’m sorry these prompts are being posted a bit later than usual, but this was the first month that I actually forgot to write them! I’ve been so busy with my recent move, that they completely slipped my mind. I hope you all enjoy these last minute ideas and can find a bit of inspiration somewhere in here. 😉 ~M xo
If you’re new to prompt writing, and don’t really understand how to use the prompts, please consider the following writing exercise.
Settle into your favorite place in the house with a hot drink to warm your waking bones. Once you’ve warmed up a bit; grab your journal, a trusty pen, and a timer. Then, set your timer for ten minutes and begin writing about one of the prompts. Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, neatness, or anything like that; just write! Write about anything and everything that comes to your mind, and don’t stop until the ten minutes are up.
I often find myself writing short stories or poems during those ten minutes, but you can write about anything you like. And don’t be alarmed if what you’ve written doesn’t quite make sense. The whole idea behind doing this exercise is to get your mind ready and working so that you can begin your day. Just think of it as exercise for your brain, and once you’ve done your ten minutes of writing, you’ll feel more prepared to tackle the rest of your day.
As always, I will be writing and posting over on my other blog, which can be found here. So please come visit me if you get a chance, and hopefully I can keep up with all of you!
And one last thing before I forget! I made a quick tutorial for those of you who have been having trouble trying to figure out how to Pingback your posts. Please go here, if you’d like to view the tutorial.
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/oak-leaves-leaves-fall-foliage-3851310/
Welcome to another month of writing prompts. I hope all of you can find a bit of creative inspiration this month from the prompts. Wishing all of you the best in these difficult times. Much love, ~M xo
1. Kissing in Kamacha
2. Erasing clouds
3. I am the weekend
4. Kidnappers and cougars
5. Passing-on the passions
6. I hope you find your magic
7. Unreal reflections
8. Divine interventions
9. Let’s never say goodbye
10. Soft spoken secrets
11. Trespassing in paradise
12. A genuine genius
13. Maybe in the dark
14. At the heart of her
15. Crimson clover compassions
16. Jonathan Michael was his name
17. Nights in Starview Heights
18. Polished perfection
19. A fraction of a fortune
20. The weight of his affections
21. Meaty muffins
22. In a class all her own
23. Feeling weirdly confident
24. She told the story with her eyes
25. When the storm is raging
26. Making “Me” time
27. Trying days, mystical nights
28. Chivalrous knights in polka dotted tights
29. Pretty places
30. A timeless approach
If you’re new to prompt writing, and don’t really understand how to use the prompts, please consider the following writing exercise.
Settle into your favorite place in the house with a hot drink to warm your waking bones. Once you’ve warmed up a bit; grab your journal, a trusty pen, and a timer. Then, set your timer for ten minutes and begin writing about one of the prompts. Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, neatness, or anything like that; just write! Write about anything and everything that comes to your mind, and don’t stop until the ten minutes are up.
I often find myself writing short stories or poems during those ten minutes, but you can write about anything you like. And don’t be alarmed if what you’ve written doesn’t quite make sense. The whole idea behind doing this exercise is to get your mind ready and working so that you can begin your day. Just think of it as exercise for your brain, and once you’ve done your ten minutes of writing, you’ll feel more prepared to tackle the rest of your day.
As always, I will be writing and posting over on my other blog, which can be found here. So please come visit me if you get a chance, and hopefully I can keep up with all of you!
And one last thing before I forget! I made a quick tutorial for those of you who have been having trouble trying to figure out how to Pingback your posts. Please go here, if you’d like to view the tutorial. 😉
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/fall-autumn-colors-leaves-nature-4586119/
I once had a friend who I loved completely. Probably more than I even should’ve. But the thing is, they weren’t there to give, but to take instead. And they took a lot from me. The last straw was when they plagiarized some of my work. And rather than make things right, and give me credit in their book, they decided to instead tell me that I should feel honored for what they did, and they couldn’t guarantee that they wouldn’t do it again.
Needless to say, we are no longer friends, and after looking them up on social media, I proceeded to block every online place I could think of that they might be. In doing so, I discovered just how unashamed they were for their actions because they are out there promoting their book, taking full credit for something that isn’t entirely theirs. I honestly couldn’t believe what I was seeing because I trusted this person for five years, and we were as close as friends could be. But apparently, some people have no regard for others, and they just want to stomp on anyone who gets in their way. I’m quite sure this person will likely steal from me again, and so I’m not sure what I will do if that happens. It’s bad enough when random strangers steal your work, but it’s a whole different story when it’s someone you were once really close too.
Anyway, it’s just good to finally be done with this person and to never have to hear from them again. I think the worst part is that my trust has been broken, and that’s something that is very difficult to get back once it’s taken from you. But I’m moving on, and I’m literally doing so, as I’m just about to move several states away from where I currently am. It’s freeing to know that I’ll soon be starting over, and I guess it’s good I’m not dragging along any drama with me when I go. I’m really excited about what’s ahead, and I think this new, exciting change is just what I need.
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/move-key-new-apartment-catchment-2481718/
Welcome to another month of writing prompts. I was so surprised by how many of you participated this month, and I had a hard time keeping up with all the reading! Lol… But it was great to see so many old and new faces, and I get inspired when I see everyone doing so much. I need to get my rear in gear and write more, I guess. I’ve been slacking in recent days! 😉 I can’t wait to see what everyone does for August. Keep on writing! 😉 ~M
If you’re new to prompt writing, and don’t really understand how to use the prompts, please consider the following writing exercise.
Settle into your favorite place in the house with a hot drink to warm your waking bones. Once you’ve warmed up a bit; grab your journal, a trusty pen, and a timer. Then, set your timer for ten minutes and begin writing about one of the prompts. Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, neatness, or anything like that; just write! Write about anything and everything that comes to your mind, and don’t stop until the ten minutes are up.
I often find myself writing short stories or poems during those ten minutes, but you can write about anything you like. And don’t be alarmed if what you’ve written doesn’t quite make sense. The whole idea behind doing this exercise is to get your mind ready and working so that you can begin your day. Just think of it as exercise for your brain, and once you’ve done your ten minutes of writing, you’ll feel more prepared to tackle the rest of your day.
As always, I will be writing and posting over on my other blog, which can be found here. So please come visit me if you get a chance, and hopefully I can keep up with all of you!
And one last thing before I forget! I made a quick tutorial for those of you who have been having trouble trying to figure out how to Pingback your posts. Please go here, if you’d like to view the tutorial. 😉
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/by-the-turn-pretty-summer-flowers-4759164/
For a month full of writing prompts, click here. – Sorrows of the soul
Welcome to another month of writing prompts. I saw a lot of new faces last month, and that’s always exciting to see. There were so many great stories shared, and I had a ton of fun reading all of them. I can’t wait to see what the rest of this summer brings. Keep on writing! 😉 ~M
1. The page where the heart speaks words
2. City in the sky
3. Misty moon magic
4. Perfectly puffy
5. The sting of rejection
6. There’s a dragon in the bathtub
7. The cupboard of abundance
8. If only we could
9. Lit by the dawn
10. Regretful happenings
11. Killer of plasma TVs
12. An inchworm made me do it
13. Call the plumber; I’m stuck
14. Don’t tell me it’s fate
15. Sorry, but I needed my coffee
16. A piece of the pull
17. Sorrows of the soul
18. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her
19. Niceties don’t bring rainbows
20. Two hands are all I’ve got
21. Someday I’ll get there
22. The kiss that said it all
23. Mind in the making
24. Bread and butter never tasted so good
25. A bottle of bamboozled
26. He was hungry for her
27. The Chardonnay of truth
28. The way things used to be
29. Chickens and chocolate
30. Sounds of the alphabet
31. Triggered by time
If you’re new to prompt writing, and don’t really understand how to use the prompts, please consider the following writing exercise.
Settle into your favorite place in the house with a hot drink to warm your waking bones. Once you’ve warmed up a bit; grab your journal, a trusty pen, and a timer. Then, set your timer for ten minutes and begin writing about one of the prompts. Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, neatness, or anything like that; just write! Write about anything and everything that comes to your mind, and don’t stop until the ten minutes are up.
I often find myself writing short stories or poems during those ten minutes, but you can write about anything you like. And don’t be alarmed if what you’ve written doesn’t quite make sense. The whole idea behind doing this exercise is to get your mind ready and working so that you can begin your day. Just think of it as exercise for your brain, and once you’ve done your ten minutes of writing, you’ll feel more prepared to tackle the rest of your day.
As always, I will be writing and posting over on my other blog, which can be found here. So please come visit me if you get a chance, and hopefully I can keep up with all of you!
And one last thing before I forget! I made a quick tutorial for those of you who have been having trouble trying to figure out how to Pingback your posts. Please go here, if you’d like to view the tutorial. 😉
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/ice-cream-cone-melting-hot-1274894/
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/woman-despair-loss-cover-sadness-3758052/
1. The virtual sea
2. This is us being us
3. A friendly enemy
4. The wedding tree
5. I just dreamt about you
6. Pillars of the past
7. Illicit desires and wild liaisons
8. A hint of rain
9. Sprouts and sprites
10. Gothic in Greenland
11. Lost among the lilacs
12. I can’t breathe
13. A torrential time
14. Enthralling endeavors
15. Dismal disappointments
16. Fictional failures
17. If only there were more
18. Poisoning the brickwork
19. Nothing makes sense
20. His silent secret
21. Jiggly Jenny
22. Spotty spinach
23. Mosquito madness
24. The window to Walancha
25. Shallow hopes
26. The endless railway
27. Marigold moments
28. Tilly the tuna
29. Ambrosia afterthoughts
30. The last of Luke
If you’re new to prompt writing, and don’t really understand how to use the prompts, please consider the following writing exercise.
Settle into your favorite place in the house with a hot drink to warm your waking bones. Once you’ve warmed up a bit; grab your journal, a trusty pen, and a timer. Then, set your timer for ten minutes and begin writing about one of the prompts. Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, neatness, or anything like that; just write! Write about anything and everything that comes to your mind, and don’t stop until the ten minutes are up.
I often find myself writing short stories or poems during those ten minutes, but you can write about anything you like. And don’t be alarmed if what you’ve written doesn’t quite make sense. The whole idea behind doing this exercise is to get your mind ready and working so that you can begin your day. Just think of it as exercise for your brain, and once you’ve done your ten minutes of writing, you’ll feel more prepared to tackle the rest of your day.
As always, I will be writing and posting over on my other blog, which can be found here. So please come visit me if you get a chance, and hopefully I can keep up with all of you!
And one last thing before I forget! I made a quick tutorial for those of you who have been having trouble trying to figure out how to Pingback your posts. Please go here, if you’d like to view the tutorial. 😉
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/plantain-leaved-leopard-s-bane-flower-3414889/
Today I’m excited to share the book, “Breaking the Mask,” written by a dear old friend of mine, Anthony Johnson (Aka Henry Game). Anthony was one of the first friends I made on WordPress, and I’m so happy to share his very first book with all of you. If you’re able, please share this post. Thanks! 😉 ~M
THE NOVEL
The book is Historical Fantasy that spans from 1530s England to the present day in New York City. It is a story of regret, of ambition; adventure; failure; love. But most of all, it is a story of finding forgiveness.
It is available on Amazon worldwide and will soon be available on all major distribution platforms as a POD service.
A brief introduction:
When you have decided that your time is at an end, and that it will come by your own hand, the countdown to the final event is when your deepest regret will come for you, and hard.
Yet for Henry, almost 500 years old, the newfound purpose of living to die has finally given him clarity. Life without the promise of death is meaningless and cyclical. The only thing left that scares him now is dying without explaining his actions, without saying he’s sorry for what he has done.
He uses his last days to set pen to paper, to gather his journals and accounts. His focus is finally clear, death has given him the impetus required to face his greatest shame before it is too late. He will tell his story, and be what may, he will have a clean conscience when the time comes to die.
The hope is to seek forgiveness from the son he shamelessly abandoned only days after the birth. Even if it is only words and memories that he offers, it is surely better than nothing. Yet what he creates is not just a recounting of secret history, it is also an honest explanation, a confession, of his darkest deeds and gravest sins; it is a parable that he hopes his own flesh and blood can learn from and hopefully not repeat the same mistakes.
The entries range from early sixteenth century to the present day; from setting the dinner table for evening meal on Good Friday 1532, to sailing across the Atlantic Ocean in 1814, onward to the war with the USA; from scaling the tower of Pope Clement VII, to eating gingerbread in the company of three extremely bizarre sisters and a very greedy young Germanic girl named Gretel.
We travel with Henry as he transforms from an innocent child into what he must become in order to survive the trials placed in his path. As those closest to him die, Henry turns away from love, allowing anger to fill the void. Rage becomes the fuel that stokes his fire. And he uses this inferno to numb the pain of loss. Before long we have a man with a good heart that does terrible things, and all in the name of revenge. Sweet, sweet revenge.
AMAZON LINKS:
Amazon-US – Breaking the Mask
Amazon-UK – Breaking the Mask
Amazon-AU – Breaking the Mask
AUTHOR BIO
Anthony hails from Bolton, England.
He has a passion for research and history, picking at the seams of documented events to unravel fresh perspective.
He now lives in Australia with his wife, two boys, dog, cat, & three chickens.
Breaking The Mask is his debut novel.
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/achieve-woman-girl-jumping-running-1822503/
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/couple-people-love-romance-2617898/
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/children-boys-fencing-preview-958474/
If you’re new to prompt writing, and don’t really understand how to use the prompts, please consider the following writing exercise.
Settle into your favorite place in the house with a hot drink to warm your waking bones. Once you’ve warmed up a bit; grab your journal, a trusty pen, and a timer. Then, set your timer for ten minutes and begin writing about one of the prompts. Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, neatness, or anything like that; just write! Write about anything and everything that comes to your mind, and don’t stop until the ten minutes are up.
I often find myself writing short stories or poems during those ten minutes, but you can write about anything you like. And don’t be alarmed if what you’ve written doesn’t quite make sense. The whole idea behind doing this exercise is to get your mind ready and working so that you can begin your day. Just think of it as exercise for your brain, and once you’ve done your ten minutes of writing, you’ll feel more prepared to tackle the rest of your day.
As always, I will be writing and posting over on my other blog, which can be found here. So please come visit me if you get a chance, and hopefully I can keep up with all of you!
And one last thing before I forget! I made a quick tutorial for those of you who have been having trouble trying to figure out how to Pingback your posts. Please go here, if you’d like to view the tutorial. 😉
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/rose-pink-flower-bright-beautiful-4031153/
